u/stayhyderated22

I’m 28F and had severe brain fog from age 18 to 28 that progressively worsened. I tried everything: clean eating, cold showers, social media detoxes, brain games, fish oil, memory pills, fixing iron and vitamin D, drinking 2L of water daily, speech lessons, strict sleep schedules (7.5 hours nightly for years), and intermittent fasting. Nothing helped.

The brain fog affected my memory, speech, and processing. I couldn’t keep a job longer than 10 months because I struggled to follow conversations and forgot things easily managers had to email instructions since I couldn’t process verbal ones. It also damaged my friendships: I’d forget important things friends told me, lose words mid-sentence, mispronounce common English words (despite it being my native language), and came across as “dumb.”

Three months ago, during a routine checkup, my doctor noted my resting heart rate on the higher end of normal range and suggested daily brisk walking. I’d been mostly sedentary and never did much moving around besides house chores and the rare hike. I started with 10 minutes and worked up to 30 minutes daily. At the same time, I also started building small wellness routines instead of trying to “fix” myself overnight. I used tools like journaling, breathing exercises, light mental activities, and mixing physical + brain activities together through apps like Soothfy, which helped me stay consistent without feeling overwhelmed. Since then, my brain fog has completely disappeared and I mean completely. I breathe deeply instead of shallowly, think clearly, remember conversations, and have laser-sharp focus it feels like my brain is finally getting enough oxygen after being starved for many years. I only noticed improvements after consistently brisk walking for 1 month and ensured I was always nasal breathing while walking. Please try brisk walking 30 minutes for at least a month it will be a game changer!!!

I’m 28F and had severe brain fog from age 18 to 28 that progressively worsened. I tried everything: clean eating, cold showers, social media detoxes, brain games, fish oil, memory pills, fixing iron and vitamin D, drinking 2L of water daily, speech lessons, strict sleep schedules (7.5 hours nightly for years), and intermittent fasting. Nothing helped.

The brain fog affected my memory, speech, and processing. I couldn’t keep a job longer than 10 months because I struggled to follow conversations and forgot things easily managers had to email instructions since I couldn’t process verbal ones. It also damaged my friendships: I’d forget important things friends told me, lose words mid-sentence, mispronounce common English words (despite it being my native language), and came across as “dumb.”

Three months ago, during a routine checkup, my doctor noted my resting heart rate on the higher end of normal range and suggested daily brisk walking. I’d been mostly sedentary and never did much moving around besides house chores and the rare hike. I started with 10 minutes and worked up to 30 minutes daily. Since then, my brain fog has completely disappeared and I mean completely. I breathe deeply instead of shallowly, think clearly, remember conversations, and have laser-sharp focus it feels like my brain is finally getting enough oxygen after being starved for many years. I only noticed improvements after consistently brisk walking for 1 month and ensured I was always nasal breathing while walking. Please try brisk walking 30 minutes for at least a month it will be a game changer!!!

I’m 28F and had severe brain fog from age 18 to 28 that progressively worsened. I tried everything: clean eating, cold showers, social media detoxes, brain games, fish oil, memory pills, fixing iron and vitamin D, drinking 2L of water daily, speech lessons, strict sleep schedules (7.5 hours nightly for years), and intermittent fasting. Nothing helped.

The brain fog affected my memory, speech, and processing. I couldn’t keep a job longer than 10 months because I struggled to follow conversations and forgot things easily managers had to email instructions since I couldn’t process verbal ones. It also damaged my friendships: I’d forget important things friends told me, lose words mid-sentence, mispronounce common English words (despite it being my native language), and came across as “dumb.”

Three months ago, during a routine checkup, my doctor noted my resting heart rate on the higher end of normal range and suggested daily brisk walking. I’d been mostly sedentary and never did much moving around besides house chores and the rare hike. I started with 10 minutes and worked up to 30 minutes daily. At the same time, I also started building small wellness routines instead of trying to “fix” myself overnight. I used tools like journaling, breathing exercises, light mental activities, and mixing physical + brain activities together through apps like Soothfy, which helped me stay consistent without feeling overwhelmed. Since then, my brain fog has completely disappeared and I mean completely. I breathe deeply instead of shallowly, think clearly, remember conversations, and have laser-sharp focus it feels like my brain is finally getting enough oxygen after being starved for many years. I only noticed improvements after consistently brisk walking for 1 month and ensured I was always nasal breathing while walking. Please try brisk walking 30 minutes for at least a month it will be a game changer!!!

I’m 28F and had severe brain fog from age 18 to 28 that progressively worsened. I tried everything: clean eating, cold showers, social media detoxes, brain games, fish oil, memory pills, fixing iron and vitamin D, drinking 2L of water daily, speech lessons, strict sleep schedules (7.5 hours nightly for years), and intermittent fasting. Nothing helped.

The brain fog affected my memory, speech, and processing. I couldn’t keep a job longer than 10 months because I struggled to follow conversations and forgot things easily managers had to email instructions since I couldn’t process verbal ones. It also damaged my friendships: I’d forget important things friends told me, lose words mid-sentence, mispronounce common English words (despite it being my native language), and came across as “dumb.”

Three months ago, during a routine checkup, my doctor noted my resting heart rate on the higher end of normal range and suggested daily brisk walking. I’d been mostly sedentary and never did much moving around besides house chores and the rare hike. I started with 10 minutes and worked up to 30 minutes daily. At the same time, I also started building small wellness routines instead of trying to “fix” myself overnight. I used tools like journaling, breathing exercises, light mental activities, and mixing physical + brain activities together through apps like Soothfy, which helped me stay consistent without feeling overwhelmed. Since then, my brain fog has completely disappeared and I mean completely. I breathe deeply instead of shallowly, think clearly, remember conversations, and have laser-sharp focus it feels like my brain is finally getting enough oxygen after being starved for many years. I only noticed improvements after consistently brisk walking for 1 month and ensured I was always nasal breathing while walking. Please try brisk walking 30 minutes for at least a month it will be a game changer!!!

I’m 28F and had severe brain fog from age 18 to 28 that progressively worsened. I tried everything: clean eating, cold showers, social media detoxes, brain games, fish oil, memory pills, fixing iron and vitamin D, drinking 2L of water daily, speech lessons, strict sleep schedules (7.5 hours nightly for years), and intermittent fasting. Nothing helped.

The brain fog affected my memory, speech, and processing. I couldn’t keep a job longer than 10 months because I struggled to follow conversations and forgot things easily managers had to email instructions since I couldn’t process verbal ones. It also damaged my friendships: I’d forget important things friends told me, lose words mid-sentence, mispronounce common English words (despite it being my native language), and came across as “dumb.”

Three months ago, during a routine checkup, my doctor noted my resting heart rate on the higher end of normal range and suggested daily brisk walking. I’d been mostly sedentary and never did much moving around besides house chores and the rare hike. I started with 10 minutes and worked up to 30 minutes daily. At the same time, I also started building small wellness routines instead of trying to “fix” myself overnight. I used tools like journaling, breathing exercises, light mental activities, and mixing physical + brain activities together through apps like Soothfy, which helped me stay consistent without feeling overwhelmed. Since then, my brain fog has completely disappeared and I mean completely. I breathe deeply instead of shallowly, think clearly, remember conversations, and have laser-sharp focus it feels like my brain is finally getting enough oxygen after being starved for many years. I only noticed improvements after consistently brisk walking for 1 month and ensured I was always nasal breathing while walking. Please try brisk walking 30 minutes for at least a month it will be a game changer!!!

I’ll start:

1. Waking up sucks. Buy 2 bright lamps and 2 timers. Set them up to turn on automatically 5-15 min before you want your alarm to go off. The lights will help your body realize it’s daytime.
2. Change your thermostat so the temp goes down about an hr before bedtime and gets warmer about 30 min before you wake up. The cooler temp signals your body to sleep and the warmer temp will naturally help your body wake up.
3. Learn to plan around “transitions”. It’s easier to start things if you do them when something is ending. Example: Do your grocery shopping every Fri after work. You’re already in the car, so just stop at the store on your way home.
4. If you need to remember to bring something with you the next day, place it right in front of the exit door so you HAVE to touch it before you leave the house. If it’s something in the fridge, put a sticky note on the exit door’s handle.
5. Trying to build my routine around Anchor + Novelty activities now... anchors are the things i repeat every single day, they build like a solid base. novelty stuff is what gives me that dopamine hit and it rotates so it stays fresh. if i miss the novelty its fine, but i really try not to miss the anchors. using Soothfy App for this and so far its actually helping me stick to it way more than any routine ive tried before. Also body doubling has been shockingly effective. I use Focus apps for important tasks after a friend recommended it and suddenly I can work for 50 mins straight without checking my phone 600 times.
6. Have a “misc” basket in each room. If you’re truly unable to put something away, put it in the basket. Have a designated period of time, once a week, when your sole priority is to put everything away, all at once.

I’ll add more when I think of them...

I’ll start:

1. Waking up sucks. Buy 2 bright lamps and 2 timers. Set them up to turn on automatically 5-15 min before you want your alarm to go off. The lights will help your body realize it’s daytime.
2. Change your thermostat so the temp goes down about an hr before bedtime and gets warmer about 30 min before you wake up. The cooler temp signals your body to sleep and the warmer temp will naturally help your body wake up.
3. Learn to plan around “transitions”. It’s easier to start things if you do them when something is ending. Example: Do your grocery shopping every Fri after work. You’re already in the car, so just stop at the store on your way home.
4. If you need to remember to bring something with you the next day, place it right in front of the exit door so you HAVE to touch it before you leave the house. If it’s something in the fridge, put a sticky note on the exit door’s handle.
5. Have a “misc” basket in each room. If you’re truly unable to put something away, put it in the basket. Have a designated period of time, once a week, when your sole priority is to put everything away, all at once.

I’ll add more when I think of them...

I’ll start:

1. Waking up sucks. Buy 2 bright lamps and 2 timers. Set them up to turn on automatically 5-15 min before you want your alarm to go off. The lights will help your body realize it’s daytime.
2. Change your thermostat so the temp goes down about an hr before bedtime and gets warmer about 30 min before you wake up. The cooler temp signals your body to sleep and the warmer temp will naturally help your body wake up.
3. Learn to plan around “transitions”. It’s easier to start things if you do them when something is ending. Example: Do your grocery shopping every Fri after work. You’re already in the car, so just stop at the store on your way home.
4. If you need to remember to bring something with you the next day, place it right in front of the exit door so you HAVE to touch it before you leave the house. If it’s something in the fridge, put a sticky note on the exit door’s handle.
5. Have a “misc” basket in each room. If you’re truly unable to put something away, put it in the basket. Have a designated period of time, once a week, when your sole priority is to put everything away, all at once.

I’ll add more when I think of them...

I’ll start:

1. Waking up sucks. Buy 2 bright lamps and 2 timers. Set them up to turn on automatically 5-15 min before you want your alarm to go off. The lights will help your body realize it’s daytime.
2. Change your thermostat so the temp goes down about an hr before bedtime and gets warmer about 30 min before you wake up. The cooler temp signals your body to sleep and the warmer temp will naturally help your body wake up.
3. Learn to plan around “transitions”. It’s easier to start things if you do them when something is ending. Example: Do your grocery shopping every Fri after work. You’re already in the car, so just stop at the store on your way home.
4. If you need to remember to bring something with you the next day, place it right in front of the exit door so you HAVE to touch it before you leave the house. If it’s something in the fridge, put a sticky note on the exit door’s handle.
5. trying to build my routine around Anchor + Novelty activities now... anchors are the things i repeat every single day, they build like a solid base. novelty stuff is what gives me that dopamine hit and it rotates so it stays fresh. if i miss the novelty its fine, but i really try not to miss the anchors. using Soothfy App for this and so far its actually helping me stick to it way more than any routine ive tried before. Also body doubling has been shockingly effective. I use Focus apps for important tasks after a friend recommended it and suddenly I can work for 50 mins straight without checking my phone 600 times.
6. Have a “misc” basket in each room. If you’re truly unable to put something away, put it in the basket. Have a designated period of time, once a week, when your sole priority is to put everything away, all at once.

I’ll add more when I think of them...

I have suffered from insomnia my entire life. When I am having an episode it can be so debilitating that I find most things difficult, it affects my work, it affects my relationships, I have missed important appointments. I have tried everything articles always say: don't go to bed until you're tired, don't eat late, melatonin, out-patient psychiatry, trazadone, talk therapy, exercise, whatever. After a few suicidal episodes I looked into and seriously considered a sleep rehab in Arizona.

I figured I should see a sleep doctor. It was today at 9am, which seems highly unethical for a patient suffering from insomnia but whatever, I made it on time. Yay me!

The doctor basically said I have two issues. The first issue is; I am a night owl, or what doctors call "Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome". There is no quick fix, there is no special pill (sleeping pills will not help). My brain chemistry (circadian rhythm) is different than what society requires of me, and I cannot do anything to change my brain chemistry. The second issue is that my whole life; me, society, my parents, and school have all put pressure on me to sleep at an unnatural time for my brain. This has lead to me developing anxiety around sleep which is what is causing my sleepless nights.

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome - The treatment is literally what all the articles say, there was no new real information given to me. It was disappointing. But I will still lay out the information she gave me to help manage your circadian rhythm (i.e. manipulating it to fit into societal pressures). I am not a doctor tho, so yeah.

1. Make sure you aren't suffering from sleep apnea. Has anyone told you that you stop breathing while sleeping? Is your issue more waking up in the middle of the night vs. having an issue falling asleep? Do you sometimes wake up covered in sweat? Do you fall asleep during the daytime even after a full nights rest? well then you might have sleep apnea, not Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. Go get that checked out, it causes heart attacks and other major health issues.
2. Figure out what your desired sleep/wake cycle is. For instance I will use 12am-8am in this example.
3. Melatonin Therapy. I know, I know. How disappointing. But the key here is that melatonin is a supplement, meaning here in the US it is not regulated. Many brands of over the counter melatonin have been found to not even contain any trace amounts of melatonin. Our brains produce about 50 picograms per night of melatonin, and these over the counter doses of melatonin are usually 10 milligrams, which if you don't know the metric system that is about 200,000,000 times more than our bodies produce. This means: you don't need these high doses, and you also need to make sure the melatonin is from a reputable brand that actually contains melatonin. My doctor recommended .5 mg of "Pure Encapsulations" melatonin 4 hours before desired bed time. In my example I would take my .5 mg of melatonin at 8 PM every night. Consistency is key.
4. Of course the next piece of advice is to avoid TV, Mobile and bright lights 1-2 hours before bed, and to also not lay down in your bed for any reason at all besides sleep and sex. Go to bed 20 minutes before desired sleep time. In the example that would be 11:40 PM. Instead of scrolling social media before bed, I started trying calmer stuff like breathing exercises, sleep sounds, journaling, and guided routines through apps like Soothfy. It didn’t magically fix my insomnia, but it helped a bit with the anxiety spiral around sleep
5. Wake up at your desired wake time, in order for this to work, you have to be pretty strict. My doctor said that training your circadian rhythm is like weight training, and that it will take time for it to become easy.
6. Bright Light Therapy: Within an hour of waking up expose yourself to bright light for 20-60 minutes. If you live somewhere like California I bet you can just go on walk, but I live in the rainy, damp and not-sunny-at-all PNW. If you are like me you need to purchase a 10,000 lux light, and sit within 12-24 inches of the light. Timing is critical and must be executed around the same time everyday. Exposure should be continued daily with no skips to be most effective and will take 2 weeks to produce any benefits. Sunglasses must be worn outside in sunny weather after 4 pm (visor type lights have not been shown to be effective)
7. If that doesn't help to shift sleep cycles earlier then .5 mg of vitamin B12 should be added 3 times per day at meals to help intensify the affects of the Bright Light Therapy.

She said that she has never had a patient come back to say this didn't work. Also, this treatment does not change your brain chemistry, so once you stop following the treatment, you will go back to your natural circadian rhythm. Also people who have a Delayed Sleep Phase will always gravitate to a later bedtime, and it is important to stay strict with your sleep schedule for it to work. (Yeah I know, this is really groundbreaking stuff.....) The only options for those of us suffering from "Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome" is this, or to get a job that allows us to sleep with our natural rhythm.

ANXIETY - Well since she was a sleep doctor and not a psychologist she didn't really recommend anything here besides to talk to my primary care to get my anxiety under control. But I thought I would elaborate on my current treatment plan so that anyone in the future can maybe benefit from this also. Everyone is different so your anxiety might respond well to different treatments.

I have recently started going to talk therapy, and it has helped me fall asleep easier and I am not having as many insomnia episodes as I was earlier this year before therapy. My therapist has told me that when she first started seeing me that she thought I might have something severe since I was suffering from insomnia, and insomnia is usually a symptom of something more than just plain anxiety or depression. After seeing her for a while we have decided I probably fall on the Borderline Personality Disorder spectrum. And insomnia is very common for someone with BPD. But the good news is, that there has recently been a ton of new research around BPD, and research has shown it is treatable and responds exceptionally well to talk therapy. Research has also shown that BPD does not respond as well to medications. Even if you don't think you fall on the BPD spectrum, talk therapy is really awesome and honestly everyone should be in it. Especially if you are having a hard time with something as crucial as sleep and having the same hopeless and defeated feelings that surround insomnia.

I know, it sucks, I am disappointed there is nothing new here, and I know it doesn't help with the urgent need to sleep when we are suffering. I have no real advice for that, except to be easy on yourself. But I hope that maybe this can help someone looking for a treatment plan, and I hope I can save you a trip to the sleep doctor. It will be a long road, but I think I am going to really try to keep at it.

I have suffered from insomnia my entire life. When I am having an episode it can be so debilitating that I find most things difficult, it affects my work, it affects my relationships, I have missed important appointments. I have tried everything articles always say: don't go to bed until you're tired, don't eat late, melatonin, out-patient psychiatry, trazadone, talk therapy, exercise, whatever. After a few suicidal episodes I looked into and seriously considered a sleep rehab in Arizona.

I figured I should see a sleep doctor. It was today at 9am, which seems highly unethical for a patient suffering from insomnia but whatever, I made it on time. Yay me!

The doctor basically said I have two issues. The first issue is; I am a night owl, or what doctors call "Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome". There is no quick fix, there is no special pill (sleeping pills will not help). My brain chemistry (circadian rhythm) is different than what society requires of me, and I cannot do anything to change my brain chemistry. The second issue is that my whole life; me, society, my parents, and school have all put pressure on me to sleep at an unnatural time for my brain. This has lead to me developing anxiety around sleep which is what is causing my sleepless nights.

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome - The treatment is literally what all the articles say, there was no new real information given to me. It was disappointing. But I will still lay out the information she gave me to help manage your circadian rhythm (i.e. manipulating it to fit into societal pressures). I am not a doctor tho, so yeah.

1. Make sure you aren't suffering from sleep apnea. Has anyone told you that you stop breathing while sleeping? Is your issue more waking up in the middle of the night vs. having an issue falling asleep? Do you sometimes wake up covered in sweat? Do you fall asleep during the daytime even after a full nights rest? well then you might have sleep apnea, not Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. Go get that checked out, it causes heart attacks and other major health issues.
2. Figure out what your desired sleep/wake cycle is. For instance I will use 12am-8am in this example.
3. Melatonin Therapy. I know, I know. How disappointing. But the key here is that melatonin is a supplement, meaning here in the US it is not regulated. Many brands of over the counter melatonin have been found to not even contain any trace amounts of melatonin. Our brains produce about 50 picograms per night of melatonin, and these over the counter doses of melatonin are usually 10 milligrams, which if you don't know the metric system that is about 200,000,000 times more than our bodies produce. This means: you don't need these high doses, and you also need to make sure the melatonin is from a reputable brand that actually contains melatonin. My doctor recommended .5 mg of "Pure Encapsulations" melatonin 4 hours before desired bed time. In my example I would take my .5 mg of melatonin at 8 PM every night. Consistency is key.
4. Of course the next piece of advice is to avoid TV, Mobile and bright lights 1-2 hours before bed, and to also not lay down in your bed for any reason at all besides sleep and sex. Go to bed 20 minutes before desired sleep time. In the example that would be 11:40 PM. Instead of scrolling social media before bed, I started trying calmer stuff like breathing exercises, sleep sounds, journaling, and guided routines through apps like Soothfy. It didn’t magically fix my insomnia, but it helped a bit with the anxiety spiral around sleep
5. Wake up at your desired wake time, in order for this to work, you have to be pretty strict. My doctor said that training your circadian rhythm is like weight training, and that it will take time for it to become easy.
6. Bright Light Therapy: Within an hour of waking up expose yourself to bright light for 20-60 minutes. If you live somewhere like California I bet you can just go on walk, but I live in the rainy, damp and not-sunny-at-all PNW. If you are like me you need to purchase a 10,000 lux light, and sit within 12-24 inches of the light. Timing is critical and must be executed around the same time everyday. Exposure should be continued daily with no skips to be most effective and will take 2 weeks to produce any benefits. Sunglasses must be worn outside in sunny weather after 4 pm (visor type lights have not been shown to be effective)
7. If that doesn't help to shift sleep cycles earlier then .5 mg of vitamin B12 should be added 3 times per day at meals to help intensify the affects of the Bright Light Therapy.

She said that she has never had a patient come back to say this didn't work. Also, this treatment does not change your brain chemistry, so once you stop following the treatment, you will go back to your natural circadian rhythm. Also people who have a Delayed Sleep Phase will always gravitate to a later bedtime, and it is important to stay strict with your sleep schedule for it to work. (Yeah I know, this is really groundbreaking stuff.....) The only options for those of us suffering from "Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome" is this, or to get a job that allows us to sleep with our natural rhythm.

ANXIETY - Well since she was a sleep doctor and not a psychologist she didn't really recommend anything here besides to talk to my primary care to get my anxiety under control. But I thought I would elaborate on my current treatment plan so that anyone in the future can maybe benefit from this also. Everyone is different so your anxiety might respond well to different treatments.

I have recently started going to talk therapy, and it has helped me fall asleep easier and I am not having as many insomnia episodes as I was earlier this year before therapy. My therapist has told me that when she first started seeing me that she thought I might have something severe since I was suffering from insomnia, and insomnia is usually a symptom of something more than just plain anxiety or depression. After seeing her for a while we have decided I probably fall on the Borderline Personality Disorder spectrum. And insomnia is very common for someone with BPD. But the good news is, that there has recently been a ton of new research around BPD, and research has shown it is treatable and responds exceptionally well to talk therapy. Research has also shown that BPD does not respond as well to medications. Even if you don't think you fall on the BPD spectrum, talk therapy is really awesome and honestly everyone should be in it. Especially if you are having a hard time with something as crucial as sleep and having the same hopeless and defeated feelings that surround insomnia.

I know, it sucks, I am disappointed there is nothing new here, and I know it doesn't help with the urgent need to sleep when we are suffering. I have no real advice for that, except to be easy on yourself. But I hope that maybe this can help someone looking for a treatment plan, and I hope I can save you a trip to the sleep doctor. It will be a long road, but I think I am going to really try to keep at it.

my apologies for the length!
For context I'm a 28F in a highly developed city on the west coast. I'm currently in a serious relationship but been single for long periods of time and dealt with failed relationships after years of commitment. I grew up in a conservative religious home with neither parents active in the household since the age of 8. I've dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts for the past 10-15 years give or take. Here is just a short list of tips and tricks that help me claw myself out of an unannounced spiraling depression episode. Obviously everyone is different but I hope this can help at least one person not sink further into the depression pit. It has taken me years of introspective thought and practicing different behaviors to the point where I think I recognize my triggers and I feel I have some sort of handle on it now to where I can cope. I hope everyone on here gets the help they need and realize that there is hope if you're willing to fight for yourself. I know this post is going to be unbearably long at some parts but I think it's important for me to explain what I do and why I do it so you can hopefully apply it to your lives.

1. Keep a journal: As trivial and silly as it sounds, keeping a journal to unleash all my uninhibited thoughts and feelings helped me immensely throughout my adolescence and adulthood. I had always been the person hesitant to confide in a non-professional (family, friend, coworker etc) to avoid judgement, unsolicited advice, fake sympathy and I feel a lot of people feel the same way. The first big step I took for my depression is writing down a 7 page account of events that I believe lead to a perpetual state of depression. Getting all that information out of my head gave me a huge sense of relief. I never knew I was holding onto so much weight and animosity toward a situation or a specific person until it fell out of me like an emotional waterfall.
2. Cut out toxic relationships/friendships: This was probably one of the hardest steps in my journey and one I heard on a constant basis from countless articles. It's a lot easier said than done but I can wholeheartedly say cutting out specific people in my life that brought nothing but a dissatisfaction has drastically improved my state of being. Sometimes it's hard to tell when someone needs to be cut out but I had to ask myself if I'm spending time with this person because I was lonely and bored, or if they genuinely brought me joy and fulfillment. That can be a hard distinction to make but for me it was a gut feeling once I actually thought about it deeper.
3. Get a pet/plant: I know this isn't a feasible option for everyone on here but having a furry friend gave me a "purpose" and a "reason" to get out of bed everyday. If I want to sleep in or pretend I don't exist my cats wont let me because they want to play, give me love and cuddles and I have to make sure their food and water is full. It forces me to get out of bed every morning whether I want to or not. I know dogs and cats may not be doable in every living situation but even something as small as a hamster or fish will force you to stick to a routine, distract you and bring you more joy. This also applies to a plant, which is a more practical option for a majority of people, especially if you don't have the kind of money to take care of an animal.
4. Recognize your signs: What I mean by that is recognize what behavior patterns you fall into that lead you to spiral into a depression episode. A common one for me (and a lot of other people on here) is not taking care of myself such as, oversleeping, not eating for days, not showering, not responding to loved ones for days, cancelling plans, calling sick into work etc. Once I recognized these sequence of behaviors were a result of me not keeping myself in check, I was able to counteract them with other behaviors, which has been one of the hardest things I've had to learn... Which leads me to #5.
5. Changing toxic behavior: Believe me, I know how easy it is to sink deeper and deeper into the pit. I'm sure for some of you (like for me) the pit is comfortable at this point and getting yourself sounds more scary and daunting than letting yourself go. Circling back to #3 I have found ways to forcing myself to do things besides lay in bed and pretending to not exist. I now set a routine for myself after work on Monday I meal prep for the entire rest of the week. One, it forces me to do something after work that's out in public (grocery shopping), two, it forces me to do something around the house besides laying around and three, over the years I've actually grown to have fun doing it. I throw on a funny TV show, watch YouTube, listen to audio books or listen to music. That's just one example of something practical and that most everyone can do to force yourself to stay productive. You will spend less money on food as well instead of eating out all the time, and I have a harder time justifying skipping 2-3 days of food to avoid my food from spoiling (I'm a penny pincher).
6. Having something to look forward to: A reoccurring theme to me is to keep busy and productive so I don't feel so stagnant and idle. For me I try to constantly have at least 1-3 things planned at any given month (preferably more than 1-3). Of course think of things that YOU are interested in but some examples of things I do are: concerts, local attractions in your area (my area has a zoo, small theme park, farmers markets), camping, conventions, trying now restaurants etc.
7. Bad days will happen: When all of this is said and done, I still have those bad days/weeks. It's just important to realize that they wont last forever, if you're willing to fight fucking hard for better days. It's okay to cry, it's okay to take a break and "grieve" so to speak. Circumstances and situations can definitely trigger bad days/weeks, but reverting back to #4 and #5 you need to recognize if it's just a bad day/week or something more.
8. Self-love/Self-care: If any of you are like me this is a tough one, especially if that little voice in your head tells you you're not good enough. After telling yourself that enough times over several years it's hard to convince yourself otherwise. I guess the most important part about this is baby steps so it eventually becomes second nature. Instead of just getting out of bed lifeless and putting on the first thing you see, pick out an outfit that gives you full confidence. Instead of running out the door without doing your hair or makeup, take that extra 10 minutes to build that confidence. Instead of coming straight home after work, treat yourself to a scenic drive or your favorite soft drink at the drive thru. Instead of comparing yourself to other's accomplishments, recognize your own and CELEBRATE them. There is NOTHING wrong with being happy with an accomplishment and celebrating it.
9. Perspective: My best friend struggles with insecurity, anxiety and comparing herself to others around her (as I do and have in the past) and hearing her accounts made me realize that what she was insecure and anxious about were things I had no idea about. I never focused on her physical appearance, I was always proud of her work ethic, her sense of humor, her tenacity etc. but all she saw was failure. It made me realize that the people that care most about you don't see those "flaws" that keep you up at night.

Another side of Perspective: This may not apply to everyone, but I'd say a majority of people were taught a certain standard of living to be deemed "acceptable". Whether that was by their parents, religious affiliation, school, social groups etc. With an ideal ingrained in your subconscious in your development years, it can be hard to shake even if you grow up and choose not to take that path. For example: Growing up in a large, religiously affiliated family I always believed that I would graduate high school, meet a husband and start a family together. Once I reached adolescence I realized that wasn't the choice I wanted to make with my life. For years I dealt with self-loathing and pain, thinking I wasn't choosing the right path even though staying with the faith isn't what I truly wanted. These pre-conceived ideas of success and happiness I was taught at such a young age wasn't success and happiness to me anymore, and that terrified me but I didn't even know it. I had to completely rearrange what happiness meant to me instead of relying on other people around me to define it on my behalf. I had to convince myself that my tattoos and piercings were okay. That drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis is okay in moderation and totally normal. After years of self loathing and self harm I convinced myself that being openly sexual with my partners is biologically normal and acceptable if done with the right intent and people. A lot of these revelations I learned through journaling.

my apologies for the length!
For context I'm a 28F in a highly developed city on the west coast. I'm currently in a serious relationship but been single for long periods of time and dealt with failed relationships after years of commitment. I grew up in a conservative religious home with neither parents active in the household since the age of 8. I've dealt with depression thoughts for the past 10-15 years give or take. Here is just a short list of tips and tricks that help me claw myself out of an unannounced spiraling depression episode. Obviously everyone is different but I hope this can help at least one person not sink further into the depression pit. It has taken me years of introspective thought and practicing different behaviors to the point where I think I recognize my triggers and I feel I have some sort of handle on it now to where I can cope. I hope everyone on here gets the help they need and realize that there is hope if you're willing to fight for yourself. I know this post is going to be unbearably long at some parts but I think it's important for me to explain what I do and why I do it so you can hopefully apply it to your lives.

1. Keep a journal: As trivial and silly as it sounds, keeping a journal to unleash all my uninhibited thoughts and feelings helped me immensely throughout my adolescence and adulthood. I had always been the person hesitant to confide in a non-professional (family, friend, coworker etc) to avoid judgement, unsolicited advice, fake sympathy and I feel a lot of people feel the same way. The first big step I took for my depression is writing down a 7 page account of events that I believe lead to a perpetual state of depression. Getting all that information out of my head gave me a huge sense of relief. I never knew I was holding onto so much weight and animosity toward a situation or a specific person until it fell out of me like an emotional waterfall.
2. Cut out toxic relationships/friendships: This was probably one of the hardest steps in my journey and one I heard on a constant basis from countless articles. It's a lot easier said than done but I can wholeheartedly say cutting out specific people in my life that brought nothing but a dissatisfaction has drastically improved my state of being. Sometimes it's hard to tell when someone needs to be cut out but I had to ask myself if I'm spending time with this person because I was lonely and bored, or if they genuinely brought me joy and fulfillment. That can be a hard distinction to make but for me it was a gut feeling once I actually thought about it deeper.
3. Get a pet/plant: I know this isn't a feasible option for everyone on here but having a furry friend gave me a "purpose" and a "reason" to get out of bed everyday. If I want to sleep in or pretend I don't exist my cats wont let me because they want to play, give me love and cuddles and I have to make sure their food and water is full. It forces me to get out of bed every morning whether I want to or not. I know dogs and cats may not be doable in every living situation but even something as small as a hamster or fish will force you to stick to a routine, distract you and bring you more joy. This also applies to a plant, which is a more practical option for a majority of people, especially if you don't have the kind of money to take care of an animal.
4. Recognize your signs: What I mean by that is recognize what behavior patterns you fall into that lead you to spiral into a depression episode. A common one for me (and a lot of other people on here) is not taking care of myself such as, oversleeping, not eating for days, not showering, not responding to loved ones for days, cancelling plans, calling sick into work etc. Once I recognized these sequence of behaviors were a result of me not keeping myself in check, I was able to counteract them with other behaviors, which has been one of the hardest things I've had to learn... Which leads me to #5.
5. Changing toxic behavior: Believe me, I know how easy it is to sink deeper and deeper into the pit. I'm sure for some of you (like for me) the pit is comfortable at this point and getting yourself sounds more scary and daunting than letting yourself go. Circling back to #3 I have found ways to forcing myself to do things besides lay in bed and pretending to not exist. I now set a routine for myself after work on Monday I meal prep for the entire rest of the week. One, it forces me to do something after work that's out in public (grocery shopping), two, it forces me to do something around the house besides laying around and three, over the years I've actually grown to have fun doing it. I throw on a funny TV show, watch YouTube, listen to audio books or listen to music. That's just one example of something practical and that most everyone can do to force yourself to stay productive. You will spend less money on food as well instead of eating out all the time, and I have a harder time justifying skipping 2-3 days of food to avoid my food from spoiling (I'm a penny pincher).
6. Having something to look forward to: A reoccurring theme to me is to keep busy and productive so I don't feel so stagnant and idle. For me I try to constantly have at least 1-3 things planned at any given month (preferably more than 1-3). Of course think of things that YOU are interested in but some examples of things I do are: concerts, local attractions in your area (my area has a zoo, small theme park, farmers markets), camping, conventions, trying now restaurants etc.
7. Bad days will happen: When all of this is said and done, I still have those bad days/weeks. It's just important to realize that they wont last forever, if you're willing to fight fucking hard for better days. It's okay to cry, it's okay to take a break and "grieve" so to speak. Circumstances and situations can definitely trigger bad days/weeks, but reverting back to #4 and #5 you need to recognize if it's just a bad day/week or something more.
8. Self-love/Self-care: If any of you are like me this is a tough one, especially if that little voice in your head tells you you're not good enough. After telling yourself that enough times over several years it's hard to convince yourself otherwise. I guess the most important part about this is baby steps so it eventually becomes second nature. Instead of just getting out of bed lifeless and putting on the first thing you see, pick out an outfit that gives you full confidence. Instead of running out the door without doing your hair or makeup, take that extra 10 minutes to build that confidence. Instead of coming straight home after work, treat yourself to a scenic drive or your favorite soft drink at the drive thru. Instead of comparing yourself to other's accomplishments, recognize your own and CELEBRATE them. There is NOTHING wrong with being happy with an accomplishment and celebrating it.
9. Perspective: My best friend struggles with insecurity, anxiety and comparing herself to others around her (as I do and have in the past) and hearing her accounts made me realize that what she was insecure and anxious about were things I had no idea about. I never focused on her physical appearance, I was always proud of her work ethic, her sense of humor, her tenacity etc. but all she saw was failure. It made me realize that the people that care most about you don't see those "flaws" that keep you up at night.

Another side of Perspective: This may not apply to everyone, but I'd say a majority of people were taught a certain standard of living to be deemed "acceptable". Whether that was by their parents, religious affiliation, school, social groups etc. With an ideal ingrained in your subconscious in your development years, it can be hard to shake even if you grow up and choose not to take that path. For example: Growing up in a large, religiously affiliated family I always believed that I would graduate high school, meet a husband and start a family together. Once I reached adolescence I realized that wasn't the choice I wanted to make with my life. For years I dealt with self-loathing and pain, thinking I wasn't choosing the right path even though staying with the faith isn't what I truly wanted. These pre-conceived ideas of success and happiness I was taught at such a young age wasn't success and happiness to me anymore, and that terrified me but I didn't even know it. I had to completely rearrange what happiness meant to me instead of relying on other people around me to define it on my behalf. I had to convince myself that my tattoos and piercings were okay. That drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis is okay in moderation and totally normal. After years of self loathing and self hrm I convinced myself that being openly sexual with my partners is biologically normal and acceptable if done with the right intent and people. A lot of these revelations I learned through journaling.

my apologies for the length!
For context I'm a 28F in a highly developed city on the west coast. I'm currently in a serious relationship but been single for long periods of time and dealt with failed relationships after years of commitment. I grew up in a conservative religious home with neither parents active in the household since the age of 8. I've dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts for the past 10-15 years give or take. Here is just a short list of tips and tricks that help me claw myself out of an unannounced spiraling depression episode. Obviously everyone is different but I hope this can help at least one person not sink further into the depression pit. It has taken me years of introspective thought and practicing different behaviors to the point where I think I recognize my triggers and I feel I have some sort of handle on it now to where I can cope. I hope everyone on here gets the help they need and realize that there is hope if you're willing to fight for yourself. I know this post is going to be unbearably long at some parts but I think it's important for me to explain what I do and why I do it so you can hopefully apply it to your lives.

1. Keep a journal: As trivial and silly as it sounds, keeping a journal to unleash all my uninhibited thoughts and feelings helped me immensely throughout my adolescence and adulthood. I had always been the person hesitant to confide in a non-professional (family, friend, coworker etc) to avoid judgement, unsolicited advice, fake sympathy and I feel a lot of people feel the same way. The first big step I took for my depression is writing down a 7 page account of events that I believe lead to a perpetual state of depression. Getting all that information out of my head gave me a huge sense of relief. I never knew I was holding onto so much weight and animosity toward a situation or a specific person until it fell out of me like an emotional waterfall.
2. Cut out toxic relationships/friendships: This was probably one of the hardest steps in my journey and one I heard on a constant basis from countless articles. It's a lot easier said than done but I can wholeheartedly say cutting out specific people in my life that brought nothing but a dissatisfaction has drastically improved my state of being. Sometimes it's hard to tell when someone needs to be cut out but I had to ask myself if I'm spending time with this person because I was lonely and bored, or if they genuinely brought me joy and fulfillment. That can be a hard distinction to make but for me it was a gut feeling once I actually thought about it deeper.
3. Get a pet/plant: I know this isn't a feasible option for everyone on here but having a furry friend gave me a "purpose" and a "reason" to get out of bed everyday. If I want to sleep in or pretend I don't exist my cats wont let me because they want to play, give me love and cuddles and I have to make sure their food and water is full. It forces me to get out of bed every morning whether I want to or not. I know dogs and cats may not be doable in every living situation but even something as small as a hamster or fish will force you to stick to a routine, distract you and bring you more joy. This also applies to a plant, which is a more practical option for a majority of people, especially if you don't have the kind of money to take care of an animal.
4. Recognize your signs: What I mean by that is recognize what behavior patterns you fall into that lead you to spiral into a depression episode. A common one for me (and a lot of other people on here) is not taking care of myself such as, oversleeping, not eating for days, not showering, not responding to loved ones for days, cancelling plans, calling sick into work etc. Once I recognized these sequence of behaviors were a result of me not keeping myself in check, I was able to counteract them with other behaviors, which has been one of the hardest things I've had to learn... Which leads me to #5.
5. Changing toxic behavior: Believe me, I know how easy it is to sink deeper and deeper into the pit. I'm sure for some of you (like for me) the pit is comfortable at this point and getting yourself sounds more scary and daunting than letting yourself go. Circling back to #3 I have found ways to forcing myself to do things besides lay in bed and pretending to not exist. I now set a routine for myself after work on Monday I meal prep for the entire rest of the week. One, it forces me to do something after work that's out in public (grocery shopping), two, it forces me to do something around the house besides laying around and three, over the years I've actually grown to have fun doing it. I throw on a funny TV show, watch YouTube, listen to audio books or listen to music. That's just one example of something practical and that most everyone can do to force yourself to stay productive. You will spend less money on food as well instead of eating out all the time, and I have a harder time justifying skipping 2-3 days of food to avoid my food from spoiling (I'm a penny pincher).
6. Having something to look forward to: A reoccurring theme to me is to keep busy and productive so I don't feel so stagnant and idle. For me I try to constantly have at least 1-3 things planned at any given month (preferably more than 1-3). Of course think of things that YOU are interested in but some examples of things I do are: concerts, local attractions in your area (my area has a zoo, small theme park, farmers markets), camping, conventions, trying now restaurants etc.
7. Bad days will happen: When all of this is said and done, I still have those bad days/weeks. It's just important to realize that they wont last forever, if you're willing to fight fucking hard for better days. It's okay to cry, it's okay to take a break and "grieve" so to speak. Circumstances and situations can definitely trigger bad days/weeks, but reverting back to #4 and #5 you need to recognize if it's just a bad day/week or something more.
8. Self-love/Self-care: If any of you are like me this is a tough one, especially if that little voice in your head tells you you're not good enough. After telling yourself that enough times over several years it's hard to convince yourself otherwise. I guess the most important part about this is baby steps so it eventually becomes second nature. Instead of just getting out of bed lifeless and putting on the first thing you see, pick out an outfit that gives you full confidence. Instead of running out the door without doing your hair or makeup, take that extra 10 minutes to build that confidence. Instead of coming straight home after work, treat yourself to a scenic drive or your favorite soft drink at the drive thru. Instead of comparing yourself to other's accomplishments, recognize your own and CELEBRATE them. There is NOTHING wrong with being happy with an accomplishment and celebrating it.
9. Perspective: My best friend struggles with insecurity, anxiety and comparing herself to others around her (as I do and have in the past) and hearing her accounts made me realize that what she was insecure and anxious about were things I had no idea about. I never focused on her physical appearance, I was always proud of her work ethic, her sense of humor, her tenacity etc. but all she saw was failure. It made me realize that the people that care most about you don't see those "flaws" that keep you up at night.

Another side of Perspective: This may not apply to everyone, but I'd say a majority of people were taught a certain standard of living to be deemed "acceptable". Whether that was by their parents, religious affiliation, school, social groups etc. With an ideal ingrained in your subconscious in your development years, it can be hard to shake even if you grow up and choose not to take that path. For example: Growing up in a large, religiously affiliated family I always believed that I would graduate high school, meet a husband and start a family together. Once I reached adolescence I realized that wasn't the choice I wanted to make with my life. For years I dealt with self-loathing and pain, thinking I wasn't choosing the right path even though staying with the faith isn't what I truly wanted. These pre-conceived ideas of success and happiness I was taught at such a young age wasn't success and happiness to me anymore, and that terrified me but I didn't even know it. I had to completely rearrange what happiness meant to me instead of relying on other people around me to define it on my behalf. I had to convince myself that my tattoos and piercings were okay. That drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis is okay in moderation and totally normal. After years of self loathing and self harm I convinced myself that being openly sexual with my partners is biologically normal and acceptable if done with the right intent and people. A lot of these revelations I learned through journaling.

my apologies for the length!
For context I'm a 28F in a highly developed city on the west coast. I'm currently in a serious relationship but been single for long periods of time and dealt with failed relationships after years of commitment. I grew up in a conservative religious home with neither parents active in the household since the age of 8. I've dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts for the past 10-15 years give or take. Here is just a short list of tips and tricks that help me claw myself out of an unannounced spiraling depression episode. Obviously everyone is different but I hope this can help at least one person not sink further into the depression pit. It has taken me years of introspective thought and practicing different behaviors to the point where I think I recognize my triggers and I feel I have some sort of handle on it now to where I can cope. I hope everyone on here gets the help they need and realize that there is hope if you're willing to fight for yourself. I know this post is going to be unbearably long at some parts but I think it's important for me to explain what I do and why I do it so you can hopefully apply it to your lives.

1. Keep a journal: As trivial and silly as it sounds, keeping a journal to unleash all my uninhibited thoughts and feelings helped me immensely throughout my adolescence and adulthood. I had always been the person hesitant to confide in a non-professional (family, friend, coworker etc) to avoid judgement, unsolicited advice, fake sympathy and I feel a lot of people feel the same way. The first big step I took for my depression is writing down a 7 page account of events that I believe lead to a perpetual state of depression. Getting all that information out of my head gave me a huge sense of relief. I never knew I was holding onto so much weight and animosity toward a situation or a specific person until it fell out of me like an emotional waterfall.
2. Cut out toxic relationships/friendships: This was probably one of the hardest steps in my journey and one I heard on a constant basis from countless articles. It's a lot easier said than done but I can wholeheartedly say cutting out specific people in my life that brought nothing but a dissatisfaction has drastically improved my state of being. Sometimes it's hard to tell when someone needs to be cut out but I had to ask myself if I'm spending time with this person because I was lonely and bored, or if they genuinely brought me joy and fulfillment. That can be a hard distinction to make but for me it was a gut feeling once I actually thought about it deeper.
3. Get a pet/plant: I know this isn't a feasible option for everyone on here but having a furry friend gave me a "purpose" and a "reason" to get out of bed everyday. If I want to sleep in or pretend I don't exist my cats wont let me because they want to play, give me love and cuddles and I have to make sure their food and water is full. It forces me to get out of bed every morning whether I want to or not. I know dogs and cats may not be doable in every living situation but even something as small as a hamster or fish will force you to stick to a routine, distract you and bring you more joy. This also applies to a plant, which is a more practical option for a majority of people, especially if you don't have the kind of money to take care of an animal.
4. Recognize your signs: What I mean by that is recognize what behavior patterns you fall into that lead you to spiral into a depression episode. A common one for me (and a lot of other people on here) is not taking care of myself such as, oversleeping, not eating for days, not showering, not responding to loved ones for days, cancelling plans, calling sick into work etc. Once I recognized these sequence of behaviors were a result of me not keeping myself in check, I was able to counteract them with other behaviors, which has been one of the hardest things I've had to learn... Which leads me to #5.
5. Changing toxic behavior: Believe me, I know how easy it is to sink deeper and deeper into the pit. I'm sure for some of you (like for me) the pit is comfortable at this point and getting yourself sounds more scary and daunting than letting yourself go. Circling back to #3 I have found ways to forcing myself to do things besides lay in bed and pretending to not exist. I now set a routine for myself after work on Monday I meal prep for the entire rest of the week. One, it forces me to do something after work that's out in public (grocery shopping), two, it forces me to do something around the house besides laying around and three, over the years I've actually grown to have fun doing it. I throw on a funny TV show, watch YouTube, listen to audio books or listen to music. That's just one example of something practical and that most everyone can do to force yourself to stay productive. You will spend less money on food as well instead of eating out all the time, and I have a harder time justifying skipping 2-3 days of food to avoid my food from spoiling (I'm a penny pincher).
6. Having something to look forward to: A reoccurring theme to me is to keep busy and productive so I don't feel so stagnant and idle. For me I try to constantly have at least 1-3 things planned at any given month (preferably more than 1-3). Of course think of things that YOU are interested in but some examples of things I do are: concerts, local attractions in your area (my area has a zoo, small theme park, farmers markets), camping, conventions, trying now restaurants etc.
7. Bad days will happen: When all of this is said and done, I still have those bad days/weeks. It's just important to realize that they wont last forever, if you're willing to fight fucking hard for better days. It's okay to cry, it's okay to take a break and "grieve" so to speak. Circumstances and situations can definitely trigger bad days/weeks, but reverting back to #4 and #5 you need to recognize if it's just a bad day/week or something more.
8. Self-love/Self-care: If any of you are like me this is a tough one, especially if that little voice in your head tells you you're not good enough. After telling yourself that enough times over several years it's hard to convince yourself otherwise. I guess the most important part about this is baby steps so it eventually becomes second nature. Instead of just getting out of bed lifeless and putting on the first thing you see, pick out an outfit that gives you full confidence. Instead of running out the door without doing your hair or makeup, take that extra 10 minutes to build that confidence. Instead of coming straight home after work, treat yourself to a scenic drive or your favorite soft drink at the drive thru. Instead of comparing yourself to other's accomplishments, recognize your own and CELEBRATE them. There is NOTHING wrong with being happy with an accomplishment and celebrating it.
9. Perspective: My best friend struggles with insecurity, anxiety and comparing herself to others around her (as I do and have in the past) and hearing her accounts made me realize that what she was insecure and anxious about were things I had no idea about. I never focused on her physical appearance, I was always proud of her work ethic, her sense of humor, her tenacity etc. but all she saw was failure. It made me realize that the people that care most about you don't see those "flaws" that keep you up at night.
10. Routine: One "baseline task" per day. Make bed, wash 1 dish, read 1 page. These are my Anchor Activities things I do daily no matter what. But anchors alone get boring fast, especially for a low-dopamine brain. So I pair them with Novelty Activities that rotate daily something small and different each day like a 5 min walk, journaling, or a cold splash on my face. The novelty is what keeps your dopamine just high enough to stay engaged without overstimulating it. I use Soothfy for this, it builds both anchors and novelty into a personalized daily routine based on your energy level and schedule.

Another side of Perspective: This may not apply to everyone, but I'd say a majority of people were taught a certain standard of living to be deemed "acceptable". Whether that was by their parents, religious affiliation, school, social groups etc. With an ideal ingrained in your subconscious in your development years, it can be hard to shake even if you grow up and choose not to take that path. For example: Growing up in a large, religiously affiliated family I always believed that I would graduate high school, meet a husband and start a family together. Once I reached adolescence I realized that wasn't the choice I wanted to make with my life. For years I dealt with self-loathing and pain, thinking I wasn't choosing the right path even though staying with the faith isn't what I truly wanted. These pre-conceived ideas of success and happiness I was taught at such a young age wasn't success and happiness to me anymore, and that terrified me but I didn't even know it. I had to completely rearrange what happiness meant to me instead of relying on other people around me to define it on my behalf. I had to convince myself that my tattoos and piercings were okay. That drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis is okay in moderation and totally normal. After years of self loathing and self harm I convinced myself that being openly sexual with my partners is biologically normal and acceptable if done with the right intent and people. A lot of these revelations I learned through journaling.

my apologies for the length!
For context I'm a 28F in a highly developed city on the west coast. I'm currently in a serious relationship but been single for long periods of time and dealt with failed relationships after years of commitment. I grew up in a conservative religious home with neither parents active in the household since the age of 8. I've dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts for the past 10-15 years give or take. Here is just a short list of tips and tricks that help me claw myself out of an unannounced spiraling depression episode. Obviously everyone is different but I hope this can help at least one person not sink further into the depression pit. It has taken me years of introspective thought and practicing different behaviors to the point where I think I recognize my triggers and I feel I have some sort of handle on it now to where I can cope. I hope everyone on here gets the help they need and realize that there is hope if you're willing to fight for yourself. I know this post is going to be unbearably long at some parts but I think it's important for me to explain what I do and why I do it so you can hopefully apply it to your lives.

1. Keep a journal: As trivial and silly as it sounds, keeping a journal to unleash all my uninhibited thoughts and feelings helped me immensely throughout my adolescence and adulthood. I had always been the person hesitant to confide in a non-professional (family, friend, coworker etc) to avoid judgement, unsolicited advice, fake sympathy and I feel a lot of people feel the same way. The first big step I took for my depression is writing down a 7 page account of events that I believe lead to a perpetual state of depression. Getting all that information out of my head gave me a huge sense of relief. I never knew I was holding onto so much weight and animosity toward a situation or a specific person until it fell out of me like an emotional waterfall.
2. Cut out toxic relationships/friendships: This was probably one of the hardest steps in my journey and one I heard on a constant basis from countless articles. It's a lot easier said than done but I can wholeheartedly say cutting out specific people in my life that brought nothing but a dissatisfaction has drastically improved my state of being. Sometimes it's hard to tell when someone needs to be cut out but I had to ask myself if I'm spending time with this person because I was lonely and bored, or if they genuinely brought me joy and fulfillment. That can be a hard distinction to make but for me it was a gut feeling once I actually thought about it deeper.
3. Get a pet/plant: I know this isn't a feasible option for everyone on here but having a furry friend gave me a "purpose" and a "reason" to get out of bed everyday. If I want to sleep in or pretend I don't exist my cats wont let me because they want to play, give me love and cuddles and I have to make sure their food and water is full. It forces me to get out of bed every morning whether I want to or not. I know dogs and cats may not be doable in every living situation but even something as small as a hamster or fish will force you to stick to a routine, distract you and bring you more joy. This also applies to a plant, which is a more practical option for a majority of people, especially if you don't have the kind of money to take care of an animal.
4. Recognize your signs: What I mean by that is recognize what behavior patterns you fall into that lead you to spiral into a depression episode. A common one for me (and a lot of other people on here) is not taking care of myself such as, oversleeping, not eating for days, not showering, not responding to loved ones for days, cancelling plans, calling sick into work etc. Once I recognized these sequence of behaviors were a result of me not keeping myself in check, I was able to counteract them with other behaviors, which has been one of the hardest things I've had to learn... Which leads me to #5.
5. Changing toxic behavior: Believe me, I know how easy it is to sink deeper and deeper into the pit. I'm sure for some of you (like for me) the pit is comfortable at this point and getting yourself sounds more scary and daunting than letting yourself go. Circling back to #3 I have found ways to forcing myself to do things besides lay in bed and pretending to not exist. I now set a routine for myself after work on Monday I meal prep for the entire rest of the week. One, it forces me to do something after work that's out in public (grocery shopping), two, it forces me to do something around the house besides laying around and three, over the years I've actually grown to have fun doing it. I throw on a funny TV show, watch YouTube, listen to audio books or listen to music. That's just one example of something practical and that most everyone can do to force yourself to stay productive. You will spend less money on food as well instead of eating out all the time, and I have a harder time justifying skipping 2-3 days of food to avoid my food from spoiling (I'm a penny pincher).
6. Having something to look forward to: A reoccurring theme to me is to keep busy and productive so I don't feel so stagnant and idle. For me I try to constantly have at least 1-3 things planned at any given month (preferably more than 1-3). Of course think of things that YOU are interested in but some examples of things I do are: concerts, local attractions in your area (my area has a zoo, small theme park, farmers markets), camping, conventions, trying now restaurants etc.
7. Bad days will happen: When all of this is said and done, I still have those bad days/weeks. It's just important to realize that they wont last forever, if you're willing to fight fucking hard for better days. It's okay to cry, it's okay to take a break and "grieve" so to speak. Circumstances and situations can definitely trigger bad days/weeks, but reverting back to #4 and #5 you need to recognize if it's just a bad day/week or something more.
8. Self-love/Self-care: If any of you are like me this is a tough one, especially if that little voice in your head tells you you're not good enough. After telling yourself that enough times over several years it's hard to convince yourself otherwise. I guess the most important part about this is baby steps so it eventually becomes second nature. Instead of just getting out of bed lifeless and putting on the first thing you see, pick out an outfit that gives you full confidence. Instead of running out the door without doing your hair or makeup, take that extra 10 minutes to build that confidence. Instead of coming straight home after work, treat yourself to a scenic drive or your favorite soft drink at the drive thru. Instead of comparing yourself to other's accomplishments, recognize your own and CELEBRATE them. There is NOTHING wrong with being happy with an accomplishment and celebrating it.
9. Perspective: My best friend struggles with insecurity, anxiety and comparing herself to others around her (as I do and have in the past) and hearing her accounts made me realize that what she was insecure and anxious about were things I had no idea about. I never focused on her physical appearance, I was always proud of her work ethic, her sense of humor, her tenacity etc. but all she saw was failure. It made me realize that the people that care most about you don't see those "flaws" that keep you up at night.
10. Routine: One "baseline task" per day. Make bed, wash 1 dish, read 1 page. These are my Anchor Activities things I do daily no matter what. But anchors alone get boring fast, especially for a low-dopamine brain. So I pair them with Novelty Activities that rotate daily something small and different each day like a 5 min walk, journaling, or a cold splash on my face. The novelty is what keeps your dopamine just high enough to stay engaged without overstimulating it. I use Soothfy for this, it builds both anchors and novelty into a personalized daily routine based on your energy level and schedule.

Another side of Perspective: This may not apply to everyone, but I'd say a majority of people were taught a certain standard of living to be deemed "acceptable". Whether that was by their parents, religious affiliation, school, social groups etc. With an ideal ingrained in your subconscious in your development years, it can be hard to shake even if you grow up and choose not to take that path. For example: Growing up in a large, religiously affiliated family I always believed that I would graduate high school, meet a husband and start a family together. Once I reached adolescence I realized that wasn't the choice I wanted to make with my life. For years I dealt with self-loathing and pain, thinking I wasn't choosing the right path even though staying with the faith isn't what I truly wanted. These pre-conceived ideas of success and happiness I was taught at such a young age wasn't success and happiness to me anymore, and that terrified me but I didn't even know it. I had to completely rearrange what happiness meant to me instead of relying on other people around me to define it on my behalf. I had to convince myself that my tattoos and piercings were okay. That drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis is okay in moderation and totally normal. After years of self loathing and self harm I convinced myself that being openly sexual with my partners is biologically normal and acceptable if done with the right intent and people. A lot of these revelations I learned through journaling.

I’m 28 years old and I have 2 kids. In the past year I’ve been diagnosed with Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum OCD, GAD, and health anxiety. I’m an empath and highly sensitive person - I’ve always had anxiety and depression (I mean since I was a teen), but that was nothing compared to now. The birth of my son brought on so much more anxiety and then with the birth of my daughter, it truly exploded. I started seeing my therapist in July 2024 after my GP recommended her. I started going every week, then every two weeks, then in February 2025 my therapist and I decided I can start going once a month! I wanted to share with everyone how I’ve been dealing with my anxiety.

• Therapy. Find a great therapist, or a doctor who will listen and help you find a great therapist. Please don’t be afraid to mention your struggles to someone, even if you’ve been previously let down by another health professional. Trust me, I’ve had my fair share of doctors who blatantly ignored my symptoms. Please keep trying.

• Journaling. If you’re like me and you suck at journaling, I suggest checking Amazon for The Five Minute Journal. My therapist just recommended it to me. It has daily affirmations written in, weekly challenges, and the journal entries are done in the morning and at night so just keep it by your bed and you’re good to go.

• Watch something comforting. For me, it’s Gilmore Girls and One Day at a Time.

• Boundaries. Some of my anxiety stemmed from a lack of boundaries with my family and my therapist suggested that I read Stop Walking on Eggshells by Paul T Mason. It’s on Amazon and it has really helped.

• Music. Make a playlist, blast the music, and sing! My favorite band is Say Anything. The frontman is extremely open about his anxiety (and about having bipolar disorder, too). This reflects in his music/song writing and I find it comforting.

• Eating healthy. I changed my diet to a whole food plant based diet to get my health under control since I have health anxiety. I feel so much better!

• A community. I read a lot of posts on this and other subs. I don’t really post a lot but just reading other people’s posts, especially on here, makes me feel less alone in my anxiety.

• A weighted blanket. I try to get enough sleep, but most nights I just can’t. I have two young kids, so I usually get like 7 hours (that may sound like enough but, to be honest, I need like 10 hours to feel like I’m functioning normally). But my weighted blanket helps a lot. It doesn’t weigh much, only like 8 lbs but I just keep it on my upper body/arms and it helps me sleep well.

• Try to open up. Some of my anxiety was from my husband and I having a disconnect because I shut people out. My therapist suggested The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman (also on Amazon). My husband and I both read it and highlighted what was important to us and realized we weren’t showing each other love in the ways we needed it. This probably saved our marriage.

• Take space when you need it. I’m a stay at home mom, so by the end of the day I need a little bit of space. When my husband gets home, I put in my headphones and start cooking dinner by myself and he plays with the kids. I love cooking so much and it’s relaxing to me, as is music, so this really helps me unwind a bit.

• Other lifestyle changes. I quit caffeine for a while and no longer drink wine (I really only drank socially, but now I’d rather not). Alcohol and caffeine were not good for my anxiety. I was drinking a lot of coffee so I needed to cut it out for a few months. Now I drink one cup a day.

• Self-help books. The Worry Trick (on Amazon, surprise)! This book has been great for me and I even bought a copy and sent it to my sister. She’s gotten further into it than I have and she tells me it’s very helpful!

• The 90 Second Rule. My therapist told me a while ago that our brains only feel emotions for 90 seconds at a time. If I feel bad for more than 90 seconds, it’s because I’m allowing myself to stay in that emotion. That has helped me so much. Now when something makes me anxious or angry or upset, I acknowledge it (sometimes in my head, sometimes aloud) and try to move on.

• Mindfulness Yoga. Yoga with Adriene on YouTube has a yoga for anxiety video and it’s amazing, imo.

• Hobbies. Aside from cooking, I genuinely enjoy cross stitching. I love it so much and it helps me keep my mind from racing. It allows me to have an outlet, which I truly needed after becoming a stay at home mom. One "baseline task" per day. Make bed, wash 1 dish, read 1 page. These are my Anchor Activities things I do daily no matter what. But anchors alone get boring fast, especially for a low-dopamine brain. So I pair them with Novelty Activities that rotate daily something small and different each day like a 5 min walk, journaling, or a cold splash on my face. The novelty is what keeps your dopamine just high enough to stay engaged without overstimulating it. I use Soothfy for this, it builds both anchors and novelty into a personalized daily routine based on your energy level and schedule.

I’m sure a ton of people already do these things, but I just wanted to share what helps me. I hope this helps even 1 person feel a little bit better. I also want everyone to know that I do still struggle. Sometimes I forget about the 90 seconds or I don’t take space when I need it. I’m still learning to manage my anxiety, but I’m much better today than I was 9 months ago. I’m sorry for the long post!

I’m 28 years old and I have 2 kids. In the past year I’ve been diagnosed with Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum OCD, GAD, and health anxiety. I’m an empath and highly sensitive person - I’ve always had anxiety and depression (I mean since I was a teen), but that was nothing compared to now. The birth of my son brought on so much more anxiety and then with the birth of my daughter, it truly exploded. I started seeing my therapist in July 2024 after my GP recommended her. I started going every week, then every two weeks, then in February 2025 my therapist and I decided I can start going once a month! I wanted to share with everyone how I’ve been dealing with my anxiety.

• Therapy. Find a great therapist, or a doctor who will listen and help you find a great therapist. Please don’t be afraid to mention your struggles to someone, even if you’ve been previously let down by another health professional. Trust me, I’ve had my fair share of doctors who blatantly ignored my symptoms. Please keep trying.

• Journaling. If you’re like me and you suck at journaling, I suggest checking Amazon for The Five Minute Journal. My therapist just recommended it to me. It has daily affirmations written in, weekly challenges, and the journal entries are done in the morning and at night so just keep it by your bed and you’re good to go.

• Watch something comforting. For me, it’s Gilmore Girls and One Day at a Time.

• Boundaries. Some of my anxiety stemmed from a lack of boundaries with my family and my therapist suggested that I read Stop Walking on Eggshells by Paul T Mason. It’s on Amazon and it has really helped.

• Music. Make a playlist, blast the music, and sing! My favorite band is Say Anything. The frontman is extremely open about his anxiety (and about having bipolar disorder, too). This reflects in his music/song writing and I find it comforting.

• Eating healthy. I changed my diet to a whole food plant based diet to get my health under control since I have health anxiety. I feel so much better!

• A community. I read a lot of posts on this and other subs. I don’t really post a lot but just reading other people’s posts, especially on here, makes me feel less alone in my anxiety.

• A weighted blanket. I try to get enough sleep, but most nights I just can’t. I have two young kids, so I usually get like 7 hours (that may sound like enough but, to be honest, I need like 10 hours to feel like I’m functioning normally). But my weighted blanket helps a lot. It doesn’t weigh much, only like 8 lbs but I just keep it on my upper body/arms and it helps me sleep well.

• Try to open up. Some of my anxiety was from my husband and I having a disconnect because I shut people out. My therapist suggested The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman (also on Amazon). My husband and I both read it and highlighted what was important to us and realized we weren’t showing each other love in the ways we needed it. This probably saved our marriage.

• Take space when you need it. I’m a stay at home mom, so by the end of the day I need a little bit of space. When my husband gets home, I put in my headphones and start cooking dinner by myself and he plays with the kids. I love cooking so much and it’s relaxing to me, as is music, so this really helps me unwind a bit.

• Other lifestyle changes. I quit caffeine for a while and no longer drink wine (I really only drank socially, but now I’d rather not). Alcohol and caffeine were not good for my anxiety. I was drinking a lot of coffee so I needed to cut it out for a few months. Now I drink one cup a day.

• Self-help books. The Worry Trick (on Amazon, surprise)! This book has been great for me and I even bought a copy and sent it to my sister. She’s gotten further into it than I have and she tells me it’s very helpful!

• The 90 Second Rule. My therapist told me a while ago that our brains only feel emotions for 90 seconds at a time. If I feel bad for more than 90 seconds, it’s because I’m allowing myself to stay in that emotion. That has helped me so much. Now when something makes me anxious or angry or upset, I acknowledge it (sometimes in my head, sometimes aloud) and try to move on.

• Mindfulness Yoga. Yoga with Adriene on YouTube has a yoga for anxiety video and it’s amazing, imo.

• Hobbies. Aside from cooking, I genuinely enjoy cross stitching. I love it so much and it helps me keep my mind from racing. It allows me to have an outlet, which I truly needed after becoming a stay at home mom. One "baseline task" per day. Make bed, wash 1 dish, read 1 page. These are my Anchor Activities things I do daily no matter what. But anchors alone get boring fast, especially for a low-dopamine brain. So I pair them with Novelty Activities that rotate daily something small and different each day like a 5 min walk, journaling, or a cold splash on my face. The novelty is what keeps your dopamine just high enough to stay engaged without overstimulating it. I use Soothfy for this, it builds both anchors and novelty into a personalized daily routine based on your energy level and schedule.

I’m sure a ton of people already do these things, but I just wanted to share what helps me. I hope this helps even 1 person feel a little bit better. I also want everyone to know that I do still struggle. Sometimes I forget about the 90 seconds or I don’t take space when I need it. I’m still learning to manage my anxiety, but I’m much better today than I was 9 months ago. I’m sorry for the long post!

I’m 28 years old and I have 2 kids. In the past year I’ve been diagnosed with Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum OCD, GAD, and health anxiety. I’m an empath and highly sensitive person - I’ve always had anxiety and depression (I mean since I was a teen), but that was nothing compared to now. The birth of my son brought on so much more anxiety and then with the birth of my daughter, it truly exploded. I started seeing my therapist in July 2024 after my GP recommended her. I started going every week, then every two weeks, then in February 2025 my therapist and I decided I can start going once a month! I wanted to share with everyone how I’ve been dealing with my anxiety.

• Therapy. Find a great therapist, or a doctor who will listen and help you find a great therapist. Please don’t be afraid to mention your struggles to someone, even if you’ve been previously let down by another health professional. Trust me, I’ve had my fair share of doctors who blatantly ignored my symptoms. Please keep trying.

• Journaling. If you’re like me and you suck at journaling, I suggest checking Amazon for The Five Minute Journal. My therapist just recommended it to me. It has daily affirmations written in, weekly challenges, and the journal entries are done in the morning and at night so just keep it by your bed and you’re good to go.

• Watch something comforting. For me, it’s Gilmore Girls and One Day at a Time.

• Boundaries. Some of my anxiety stemmed from a lack of boundaries with my family and my therapist suggested that I read Stop Walking on Eggshells by Paul T Mason. It’s on Amazon and it has really helped.

• Music. Make a playlist, blast the music, and sing! My favorite band is Say Anything. The frontman is extremely open about his anxiety (and about having bipolar disorder, too). This reflects in his music/song writing and I find it comforting.

• Eating healthy. I changed my diet to a whole food plant based diet to get my health under control since I have health anxiety. I feel so much better!

• A community. I read a lot of posts on this and other subs. I don’t really post a lot but just reading other people’s posts, especially on here, makes me feel less alone in my anxiety.

• A weighted blanket. I try to get enough sleep, but most nights I just can’t. I have two young kids, so I usually get like 7 hours (that may sound like enough but, to be honest, I need like 10 hours to feel like I’m functioning normally). But my weighted blanket helps a lot. It doesn’t weigh much, only like 8 lbs but I just keep it on my upper body/arms and it helps me sleep well.

• Try to open up. Some of my anxiety was from my husband and I having a disconnect because I shut people out. My therapist suggested The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman (also on Amazon). My husband and I both read it and highlighted what was important to us and realized we weren’t showing each other love in the ways we needed it. This probably saved our marriage.

• Take space when you need it. I’m a stay at home mom, so by the end of the day I need a little bit of space. When my husband gets home, I put in my headphones and start cooking dinner by myself and he plays with the kids. I love cooking so much and it’s relaxing to me, as is music, so this really helps me unwind a bit.

• Other lifestyle changes. I quit caffeine for a while and no longer drink wine (I really only drank socially, but now I’d rather not). Alcohol and caffeine were not good for my anxiety. I was drinking a lot of coffee so I needed to cut it out for a few months. Now I drink one cup a day.

• Self-help books. The Worry Trick (on Amazon, surprise)! This book has been great for me and I even bought a copy and sent it to my sister. She’s gotten further into it than I have and she tells me it’s very helpful!

• The 90 Second Rule. My therapist told me a while ago that our brains only feel emotions for 90 seconds at a time. If I feel bad for more than 90 seconds, it’s because I’m allowing myself to stay in that emotion. That has helped me so much. Now when something makes me anxious or angry or upset, I acknowledge it (sometimes in my head, sometimes aloud) and try to move on.

• Mindfulness Yoga. Yoga with Adriene on YouTube has a yoga for anxiety video and it’s amazing, imo.

• Hobbies. Aside from cooking, I genuinely enjoy cross stitching. I love it so much and it helps me keep my mind from racing. It allows me to have an outlet, which I truly needed after becoming a stay at home mom. One "baseline task" per day. Make bed, wash 1 dish, read 1 page. These are my Anchor Activities things I do daily no matter what. But anchors alone get boring fast, especially for a low-dopamine brain. So I pair them with Novelty Activities that rotate daily something small and different each day like a 5 min walk, journaling, or a cold splash on my face. The novelty is what keeps your dopamine just high enough to stay engaged without overstimulating it. I use Soothfy for this, it builds both anchors and novelty into a personalized daily routine based on your energy level and schedule.

I’m sure a ton of people already do these things, but I just wanted to share what helps me. I hope this helps even 1 person feel a little bit better. I also want everyone to know that I do still struggle. Sometimes I forget about the 90 seconds or I don’t take space when I need it. I’m still learning to manage my anxiety, but I’m much better today than I was 9 months ago. I’m sorry for the long post!

I’m 28 years old and I have 2 kids. In the past year I’ve been diagnosed with Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum OCD, GAD, and health anxiety. I’m an empath and highly sensitive person - I’ve always had anxiety and depression (I mean since I was a teen), but that was nothing compared to now. The birth of my son brought on so much more anxiety and then with the birth of my daughter, it truly exploded. I started seeing my therapist in July 2024 after my GP recommended her. I started going every week, then every two weeks, then in February 2025 my therapist and I decided I can start going once a month! I wanted to share with everyone how I’ve been dealing with my anxiety.

• Therapy. Find a great therapist, or a doctor who will listen and help you find a great therapist. Please don’t be afraid to mention your struggles to someone, even if you’ve been previously let down by another health professional. Trust me, I’ve had my fair share of doctors who blatantly ignored my symptoms. Please keep trying.

• Journaling. If you’re like me and you suck at journaling, I suggest checking Amazon for The Five Minute Journal. My therapist just recommended it to me. It has daily affirmations written in, weekly challenges, and the journal entries are done in the morning and at night so just keep it by your bed and you’re good to go.

• Watch something comforting. For me, it’s Gilmore Girls and One Day at a Time.

• Boundaries. Some of my anxiety stemmed from a lack of boundaries with my family and my therapist suggested that I read Stop Walking on Eggshells by Paul T Mason. It’s on Amazon and it has really helped.

• Music. Make a playlist, blast the music, and sing! My favorite band is Say Anything. The frontman is extremely open about his anxiety (and about having bipolar disorder, too). This reflects in his music/song writing and I find it comforting.

• Eating healthy. I changed my diet to a whole food plant based diet to get my health under control since I have health anxiety. I feel so much better!

• A community. I read a lot of posts on this and other subs. I don’t really post a lot but just reading other people’s posts, especially on here, makes me feel less alone in my anxiety.

• A weighted blanket. I try to get enough sleep, but most nights I just can’t. I have two young kids, so I usually get like 7 hours (that may sound like enough but, to be honest, I need like 10 hours to feel like I’m functioning normally). But my weighted blanket helps a lot. It doesn’t weigh much, only like 8 lbs but I just keep it on my upper body/arms and it helps me sleep well.

• Try to open up. Some of my anxiety was from my husband and I having a disconnect because I shut people out. My therapist suggested The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman (also on Amazon). My husband and I both read it and highlighted what was important to us and realized we weren’t showing each other love in the ways we needed it. This probably saved our marriage.

• Take space when you need it. I’m a stay at home mom, so by the end of the day I need a little bit of space. When my husband gets home, I put in my headphones and start cooking dinner by myself and he plays with the kids. I love cooking so much and it’s relaxing to me, as is music, so this really helps me unwind a bit.

• Other lifestyle changes. I quit caffeine for a while and no longer drink wine (I really only drank socially, but now I’d rather not). Alcohol and caffeine were not good for my anxiety. I was drinking a lot of coffee so I needed to cut it out for a few months. Now I drink one cup a day.

• Self-help books. The Worry Trick (on Amazon, surprise)! This book has been great for me and I even bought a copy and sent it to my sister. She’s gotten further into it than I have and she tells me it’s very helpful!

• The 90 Second Rule. My therapist told me a while ago that our brains only feel emotions for 90 seconds at a time. If I feel bad for more than 90 seconds, it’s because I’m allowing myself to stay in that emotion. That has helped me so much. Now when something makes me anxious or angry or upset, I acknowledge it (sometimes in my head, sometimes aloud) and try to move on.

• Mindfulness Yoga. Yoga with Adriene on YouTube has a yoga for anxiety video and it’s amazing, imo.

• Hobbies. Aside from cooking, I genuinely enjoy cross stitching. I love it so much and it helps me keep my mind from racing. It allows me to have an outlet, which I truly needed after becoming a stay at home mom. One "baseline task" per day. Make bed, wash 1 dish, read 1 page. These are my Anchor Activities things I do daily no matter what. But anchors alone get boring fast, especially for a low-dopamine brain. So I pair them with Novelty Activities that rotate daily something small and different each day like a 5 min walk, journaling, or a cold splash on my face. The novelty is what keeps your dopamine just high enough to stay engaged without overstimulating it. I use Soothfy for this, it builds both anchors and novelty into a personalized daily routine based on your energy level and schedule.

I’m sure a ton of people already do these things, but I just wanted to share what helps me. I hope this helps even 1 person feel a little bit better. I also want everyone to know that I do still struggle. Sometimes I forget about the 90 seconds or I don’t take space when I need it. I’m still learning to manage my anxiety, but I’m much better today than I was 9 months ago. I’m sorry for the long post!